San Luis Obispo High School has taken a strong position in welcoming the LGBTQ+ Community by starting clubs such as Gay Straight Alliance, to show students of SLOHS that bullying will not be accepted when it comes to sexuality. The question is, do we focus too much of our attention on the LGBTQ+ Community, that those with religious based morals are feeling bullied?
Students who follow a religion that don’t support homosexuality have to hide out of fear of being mistreated for their belief. Since June 26, when same sex marriage became legal in all fifty states, on social media we have seen an increase of people openly humiliating anyone supporting a religion disagreeing with homosexuality. Wouldn’t that fall under the category of bullying?
“I was raised a Christian, so naturally I was taught that homosexual behavior is a sin. I don’t morally support the decision, but it’s not something I would judge people on. I believe that those who have made the decision have the right to be treated as an equal, and shouldn’t be harmed physically or emotionally for their choices, but morally I would not promote it. I like the idea of fighting for the end of bullying, but I don’t feel safe as a Christian and my own morals. I feel as these homosexuals can now come open, I have to hide my beliefs or I get criticized, or worse. I don’t believe it’s fair,” said an anonymous SLOHS student.
The fact that she wanted to remain anonymous proves my point.
We have made a huge point in welcoming the LGBTQ+ community, but many have had to sacrifice their religious freedoms to do so. It goes against someone’s religious freedom when they can’t openly express their own moral views in public. What have we really accomplished?
Anonymous • Jul 7, 2019 at 2:10 pm
The fundamental reason that Christians and other religiously-minded people are being scrutinized is that for hundreds of years their religion has tortured and ridiculed the LGBTQ+ community. Now that we have entered the 21st century, they are feeling the repercussions of that hate, and that is completely fair. I’m not saying it’s anyone’s fault or that all religious people are homophones but sometimes we do have to suffer the consequences of our ancestor’s actions. Also, people are still being KILLED for being in the LGBTQ+ community so please don’t compare your suffering to that of hundred of generations of people who died simply for EXISTING.
anonymous • Dec 24, 2015 at 2:21 pm
You don’t deserve nor should you expect sympathy. Many Christians are fully accepting of the lgbtq community. You should not be exempt from criticism because you refuse to progress with society. And for the record, people who are lgbtq affiliated don’t “promote” being gay, because it’s wrong to force someone into a sexuality, just like its wrong to tell someone that their sexuality is invalid or “sinful”. Please take some time revise and review before you write another article, because this is just a poor attempt of someone trying to hide their hate speech as an “opinion”.
Anon • Nov 16, 2015 at 9:44 am
Leviticus 20:13
Anon Christian • Nov 13, 2015 at 11:55 am
The author of this piece is not saying anything against the LGBT community, all that they are saying is that if the LGBT community is able to express their opinions openly, why can’t Christians? The author isn’t saying that they hate all LGBT members, they just disagree with their beliefs. There is a HUGE difference between disagreeing and hating, and don’t we all have the right to believe what we choose. It just doesn’t seem fair that the LGBT community can express their beliefs and not be bashed on it, but as soon as a Christian does all hell breaks loose. And someone mentioned earlier that “we live in a society where you can be killed just for being openly queer”, but what about all of the Christians in the middle east are murdered on the mass, just because of their beliefs. Honestly, both the LGBT and Christians have more in common than you may think… Both either are or were discriminated for their beliefs, so why don’t both sides just stop arguing and fighting and agree to disagree on their beliefs, and agree to accept each other for who they are.
ANON • Nov 12, 2015 at 8:26 pm
I think you make an incredible point and it is only further proven by this negative feedback. I feel like the negative commenters above fail to become open minded and look at both sides of this problem. I will agree that there are no durogative terms for us “bible-thumpers” or “Jesus -lovers” that are used as insults. But I am constantly met with eye rolls and immediate prejudice at the slightest mention of my faith. Thank you for bringing this to light
Eric Haupt • Nov 14, 2015 at 1:26 am
” think you make an incredible point and it is only further proven by this negative feedback. I feel like the negative commenters above fail to become open minded…..” The people commenting all behaved reasonably and didn’t resort to personal attacks (with one possible exception..). Their disagreement with the article by itself doesn’t prove anything about them.
Anonymous • Nov 12, 2015 at 7:47 pm
You see as much as any LGBT+ person should be allowed to stand up for their rights and beliefs, so should any religious person. Personally I do not know of any religion in the world which accepts LGBT+ members and condones their actions. Any religious person should not be forced to accept an LGBT+ person in their community but they have. They have embraced them with open arms and gone with the change and let people be who they are. Yet at the same time an LGBT+ person should not put flack upon a religious person by forcing them to supress their belief because of what they could expect at school for not accepting LGBT+ members. LGBT+ members have recieved nothing but kindness since gay marriage was barely legalized in June. The LGBT communtiy should do nothing but repay that kindness, yet all I or anyone else on campus or in America can feel is their hostility towards religions who do not believe what they do is morally correct. Therefore this article is very well versed in expressing what many are too scared to express for frear of how they will be judged. Now unless only kindness is spread, the tensions will only intensify until one group is no longer welcome on campus or both religious persons and LGBT people can live together peacefully.
Eleanor • Nov 12, 2015 at 5:47 pm
If you openly disrespect and mistreat the LGTBQ+ community under the guise of your religion, why should we treat you with any respect? I’m not an advocate for responding to violence with violence but what you are essentially saying in this article is that even though people are often openly homophobic/transphobic because it “goes against their religious beliefs” they shouldn’t face any repercussions for that. There is a different between freedom of speech and freedom to spew hate; you are entitled to your viewpoint but you are not entitled to not be called out when that viewpoint is ******. I doubt anyone at SLOHS would get called degrading terms for being openly Christian in the same way they would be for being openly queer. The term “fag” is tossed around on our campus all the time, but there are no such anti-christian terms being used as insults. The same goes for our country as a whole: if you tell your parents you’re a Christian, you don’t run the risk of being kicked out or beaten up. Maybe what’s not “fair” is the fact that we live in a society where you can be killed just for being openly queer, but where “in God we trust” is the official motto of our country. Also, being queer is NOT a choice or a “decision” as your anonymous source describes it.
AnonymousPerson • Nov 12, 2015 at 8:23 pm
I think that this article is being fundamentally misunderstood. It is NOT condoning the senseless violence, hate, or fear that too often surrounds the LGBTQ+ community. I am certain that the author of this article (and even the anonymously quoted student) are not homophobes. While this article does seem to take a Christian standpoint, I do not think it’s main argument can’t be a secular one. What I believe this article strives for is a community where opposing opinions are not hateful or violent. Without commenting on the opinions themselves, I would say that the way in which we express those opinions should be a respectful one, no matter what it is. However, calling someone’s viewpoint “*****””” does is not a respectful way of doing that and seems contradictory to the point Eleanor was trying to make, and I think that the author makes a good point in saying that responses like these are often overlooked. I think that in expressing these opinions we should aim for respect, regardless of what we are arguing.
Aric Sweeny • Nov 13, 2015 at 12:37 pm
Well said.
anon • Nov 12, 2015 at 12:54 pm
what do you mean by, “what have we really accomplished?” how about the fact that every person, regardless of gender, can marry the person they love? and if “christian beliefs” come with not accepting love that is different from yours, it seems like you just have a bitter heart. I thought “God” was supposed to accept everyone, yet he doesn’t accept any member of the LGBT+ community, which btw is A LOT of people. from my standpoint, you can have your opinion, but please realize we are in the 21st century, so maybe consider being more accepting of the changes in the world.
Anony(moose) gay • Nov 12, 2015 at 12:52 pm
One misconception is that religious freedom protects every single religious view no matter what. However, this is not hire true. The freedom to practice any religion only stretches as far as someone else’s nose. Once a religious view infringes on someone else’s rights, that’s when it becomes a problem. When any religious person speaks out saying that the way I was born is against the will of God I feel personally attacked and I feel as if that person believes I am below them. The freedom of religious expression is a great feature that shapes the way America works. Religious freedom has been used by many people, including Christians, to discriminate against people they disagree with like the LGBTQ+ community (i.e. Indiana pizza parlor incident). So to answer your question: no, we aren’t giving too much attention to the LGBTQ+ community, we are simply stopping injustice committed by individuals abusing their religious beliefs.
Eric Haupt • Nov 10, 2015 at 2:18 pm
I take issue with the use of the word “freedom.”
I can’t help but feel this is more of a peer pressure thing, and yes it is more than a problem if people are bullying you. That shouldn’t be tolerated. However, I don’t see how people “have had to sacrifice their religious freedoms.” Your freedoms are all still there; you’re still more than within your rights to express your opinion.
But here’s the thing: that’s a double edged sword. People have the right to challenge your opinion, just as you have the right to challenge theirs. In my opinion, you should reserve your criticisms for only the people who are being truly hostile and out of line. The GSA as a whole, as far as I’ve seen, has never singled out any person or religion and labeled them as homophobic – and they’ve certainly never endorsed bullying. What the movement has succeeded in doing is shifting people’s opinions to one you’ve implied that you disagree with. While that does mean that people may not look fondly on what you have to say, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have the freedom to say it.
Eric Osmond • Nov 13, 2015 at 10:29 am
Well said. GSA is very open and accepting of everyone and they have never scrutinized or discriminated against anyone. I don’t really see the point of this article or how many people would actually appreciate it. Stereotyping Christians, really?